Disclaimer:None of these, well almost none of these, characters belong to me. Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, Simon Banks, and Cascade, Washington belong to Pet Fly. The eleven orphans are based on characters that belong to Saban Entertainment. The Cartwright family and other denizens of the Ponderosa belong to NBC and Paramount Television. I am using them all without permission, with respect, and without being paid.

Notes, Timelines, etc.This is a crossover, AU for The Sentinel and Power Rangers, not AU for Bonanza. Only the characters' names, basic personalities and physical likenesses are used from Power Rangers, no other aspects of the series, so familiarity with the show is not necessary. The concept of 'Sentinels' and 'Guides' are used from The Sentinel, and other characters from the series will be worked in as needed. This is the second story in the series, following "Always Room For More" and picking up where that story left off. This particular chapter is mostly a bridge, in effect. Clears up some of the questions from "Always Room for More" and sets the stage for some future events.

Series:Cascade Tribe

Warning, rating: Some mention and depiction of physical abuse of children and others, some rough language. Nothing really graphic, but a firm PG, just to be safe.

Integration process

By Mele

Jim Ellison tossed another chunk of wood on the fire, hoping to push back at least some of the chill night air from his sleeping companions. Awakened by the sudden throb of pain when he inadvertently rolled over on his injured shoulder, the Sentinel decided to make the most of his wakefulness even as he struggled a little with the pain dial. The last few days had been stressful and exhausting, resulting in injuries to both himself and his Guide, who slept the sleep of the utterly drained a few feet away. As was the norm when he was weary, Ellison was having trouble controlling his senses, especially touch and hearing. A few words from Blair would solve the problem, but the older man was reluctant to disturb his friend's much needed rest.

What should have been a fairly routine delivery job they accepted from Aaron Stemple and Jason Bolt of Seattle turned into an odyssey of attempts on their lives, culminating with a total of six dead bad guys, Blair having been stabbed, Jim having been shot, and a traumatized ten-year-old boy being taken in by the two men. All-in-all, a lot to have happen in four days' time, even by their standards.

Jim's gaze fell upon the smaller mound of bedding, near Sandburg's spot, and the barely discernable rise and fall as the child slept soundly. They knew only his name was Billy, and that his father was a traveling apothecary, whose fate was as yet unknown to them. The youngster had not spoken a word to anyone since Jim and Blair had rescued him from the two men who had been amusing themselves by torturing the little boy.

The Sentinel gave a soft growl of contentment, seeing his two companions safe and secure in their camp, and that feeling of contentment gave him enough leverage to bring his sense of touch back in line. Settling back down in his own bedroll, he closed his eyes, relaxing his body and letting his mind drift back five years, to the first time he and Blair had headed home to Cascade...

***Ellison had fought Bold Hawk for possession of his Guide, sparing the brave's life, though his honor had taken a fatal wound, as it were. After the battle their mentor, the ancient medicine man, Tachopey, had informed the pair that it was time for them to leave the tribe and find their own destinies with their own people.

"I don't get it. Where does he think we're supposed to go?" Blair wondered, pacing their lodge restlessly, much to Jim's amusement.

"Chief, you didn't really think we'd stay with the tribe permanently, did you? Be realistic here. And don't you want to go back East? Finish up your schooling? Get your degree?" the older man queried.

"There was a time that was ALL I wanted in life. But now? No, school doesn't appeal to me, especially Harvard. They have no...no idea...what life out here is like. They...we... thought we were so good, so much better than those 'rough westerners'. But now I know different. Dry academia just isn't appealing, not after all that's happened to me in the last few months. I don't know just how to say it, but I guess I want to live, you know? Live. Do. Experience. Be a part of life, not just study it. And I'm rambling, aren't I?" he finished up, flushing in mild embarrassment.

"No more so than usual, Chief. So do you have someplace to call 'home'?" Ellison wondered.

"Not really. School was the closest thing I ever knew to a home. Naomi didn't settle down in any place long enough to put down roots. And since she died..." Blair's voice trailed off. The younger man had rarely spoken of his childhood, or his late mother, but Jim had a sense of the unconventional upbringing his Guide had experienced.

"Well, I was on my way back to Cascade when I was captured, so I was figuring I'd go ahead and finish the trip. If you don't have anywhere else you need to be, you could tag along. My place there isn't much, but...at least we can rest for a while, figure out what we want to do," the Sentinel suggested with an oddly endearing hesitancy.

Blair was observant enough to see this was more than just a casual invitation; he could sense a mild desperation behind the offhand words. Jim had told him a little about his childhood, the 'spells' he'd had, which they now knew were sensory spikes. How the people in his hometown, including his father and younger brother, had interpreted the symptoms of his emerging Sentinel abilities as encroaching madness. He had control now, but that control was sometimes dependent on his Guide being nearby, a dependency the Sentinel couldn't quite bring himself to admit to. Besides, if what Tachopey had been implying was true, they were now pretty much fated to spend the rest of their lives together, in one way or another.

"Sure, sounds okay to me. I've never been to Washington," the younger man grinned, satisfied with the subtle relief in his Sentinel's features.

It was the very next day that they left the Yojave tribe for good, laden with gifts and final blessings, both of them grateful for all Tachopey had done for them.

They rode without speaking for the first half of the day, each lost in his own thoughts, the silence comfortable between them. Then gradually, Ellison began to indicate various points of interest in the countryside, being very familiar with the area. This helped pass the time pleasantly, as well as better preparing Blair to survive in this rugged country should he find himself alone one day. In this manner the trip passed quickly, and soon they were riding side-by-side past the slightly wobbly sign that designated Cascade's city limits.

"So this is where you grew up, huh? It's nice, even if it is raining," Blair grinned at his tall companion, as he tried to look every direction at once.

"Get used to it Chief. It rains a lot here. Great for the crops, a bit hard if you don't like dampness. My place is about a mile outside town, hopefully it's still standing." The Sentinel sat up rigidly in his saddle, an unyielding expression on his face as he spared not one look around the town he grew up in.

They rode through town without stopping; even so Blair was well aware of some of the frankly curious looks they drew. He could sense, more than hear, whispered conversations start up in their wake, and wondered what exactly it was that evoked this response in the townsfolk. But since Jim didn't look particularly inclined to conversation at the moment Blair kept his questions to himself for the time being, trusting that in time he'd get the answers he sought.

Once beyond Cascade's city limits, Jim picked up the pace to a gentle lope which quickly brought them to a gate hanging crookedly on it's braces under an archway, where the words 'Prospect Ranch' could faintly be discerned. Ellison's expression darkened at the obvious signs of neglect, and he kicked his horse into a brisk trot along the deeply rutted and overgrown drive. There past the first curve, hidden by the trees from the main road, was a ramshackle house, cloaked in an atmosphere of abandonment and decay.

"Whoa, I'd say nobody's been around here in a while," Blair observed softly, looking around with wide eyes.

"I guess it was too much to assume someone would take care of it this long. I'm surprised there's not squatters living here," Jim mumbled at last, before dismounting with a sigh.

"Looks like it just needs some work done," Blair agreed with as much enthusiasm as he could muster under the circumstances as he also dismounted and followed his friend up the front steps to the battered looking porch.

Ellison didn't acknowledge Sandburg's comment; instead he opened the front door and stepped into the dilapidated front room, looking around with a disgusted expression. The large room was stripped of nearly all the furnishings, what little remained was battered and torn, a large chair's stuffing spewed out of its ripped covers obscenely. A family of rodents had obviously taken up residence in the tattered remains of a footstool, and all the cupboard doors were missing. There was only one intact window in the entire downstairs area, and the wall between the main room and a small utility room had a hole torn out large enough for an adult to climb through. The fetid stench of decay permeated the building, competing with the heavy smell of dust and mold for dominance.

"Okay, so it'll take some major fixing up," Sandburg insisted on sounding cheerful despite the circumstances. "Could be worse, man. At least it's still standing."

"That's all it has in its favor. There's an open barn out back, would probably be more suitable for us to bed down there. This rain should let up later, we can start figuring out what we need to do, the supplies we'll need. I have an account at the bank, the money should still be there, we can get whatever materials we can't make ourselves..."Jim's voice trailed off a little as he continued to look around, getting a feel for what all needed to be done. He wasn't completely surprised to find the place in all but ruins; he'd been gone an awful long time this trip. He continued his half audible litany of plans, not really talking to Blair as much as musing out loud, as he continued up the stairs to check out the condition of the upper floor.

His progress was stopped by the sound of heavy footfalls on the porch outside and the appearance of a large, imposing figure just inside the front door, accompanied by a firm, deep voice.

"Hold it right there! I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but this is private property."

Jim turned toward the voice, stiffening defensively before relaxing as the voice registered in his memory. "Simon? Simon Banks? Is that you?"

"Jim? Well, hell, Ellison, why didn't you let anyone know you were coming home? Damn, we'd all but given up on you," the large black man exclaimed as he came forward to meet Jim at the foot of the stairs with a hearty handshake.

"Didn't know as anyone would care," Ellison said quietly, standing back and looking over the other man closely. "You're looking good, no bullet holes that I can see. And that star is polished to a high sheen as usual. At least now I know why squatters aren't living here."

"I owe you my life, Jim. Least I could do was make sure you had a home if you ever decided to come back. Your father tried to persuade the land office he had the right to sell it, but I convinced them differently," Banks reported softly, knowing Jim wouldn't like the news, but feeling he had a right to know. "It's good to see you. I've missed you, you stubborn son of a bitch."

"Gee, Simon, don't get all mushy on me," Ellison grinned.

"Hmph," the sheriff snorted in reply, then glanced over at where Sandburg stood, watching the two men silently. "Who's this? A stray you picked up?"

"Watch what you say, Simon," the Sentinel said with a distinct chill in his voice. "This is Blair Sandburg, my new partner. We're figuring to run Prospect Ranch as a working business again."

"So you'll be around, huh? Consider changing your mind about becoming a deputy?" the lawman asked smoothly, knowing his old friend would let the ill-advised comment slide – this time at least.

"Not at this time, no. But I'll keep it in mind as an option. Don't tell me you're still having problems keeping deputies?" he asked with a frown. Cascade, for reasons no one could determine, had turned out to be a haven for those who could not find a niche in other towns. The fact that the sheriff was a free-born negro, and the local doctor half Cherokee, were the norm for Cascade, not the exceptions.

"Oh, not really. I've got Henri Brown and Brian Rafe working full time, and Jerome Stone part time, as well as a half dozen or so I can call on if needed in an emergency. But I can always use another good man," Simon said with a shrug. "You can never have too many."

"Well, how about for the time being you add me to the half dozen you use in emergencies?" Ellison offered, holding out a hand to seal the deal.

Banks smiled easily and shook the proffered hand firmly, startled when Sandburg stepped up beside Jim and offered his own hand to shake.

"I'd like to offer my services as well," the smaller man said simply.

Only a fool would turn down such an offer from a man Jim Ellison called a partner, and Simon Banks was no fool. He shook the surprisingly strong hand with a welcoming smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Sandburg. I appreciate the offer."

"Please, Sheriff Banks, I'm Blair," the younger man insisted, looking at Simon expectantly.

"Very well. Thank you, Blair," he corrected himself, though he made no offer to the younger man to call him by his first name. Those sorts of privileges had to be earned, in Simon's opinion. "And now that I know this place is safely back in your hands, I'll be getting back into town. Once you two get settled in I'd like to hear what you've been up to that kept you away for almost five years, Jim. I'll even spring for a steak dinner at Sam's,"

"I'll take you up on that, you can be sure," Jim smiled, watching as Simon walked back outside. "Well, Chief, let's finish checking this place out, shall we?" he suggested, for the moment ignoring the obvious questions on his companion's face as he headed back up the stairs.

It wasn't exactly the homecoming he'd hoped for, but despite the deplorable condition of his house, he still felt inside like he'd finally come home...***

Saturday morning arrived bright and clear, waking Sandburg up at the crack of dawn, his sense of being near home making sleeping late an impossibility. Seeing his two companions were still asleep, he crawled out of his bed to stir the fire back to life and start the coffee. Soon the bitter rich fragrance of the brew roused the Sentinel from his own slumber, and he gratefully accepted the steaming cup his Guide handed him as soon as his head emerged from the covers.

"Thanks, Chief. I see you're anxious to get home, as usual," the older man grinned, knowing from long experience his friend's quirks.

"What makes you say that, Jim?" the younger man queried with an overly innocent expression belied by his grin. His companion all but choked on his coffee.

"Oh, I dunno, Sandburg. Maybe the fact that for once, and only once, during this whole trip YOU are up first? Could be considered a clue," Ellison teased, his own mood considerably lightened by the prospect of being home that day.

"You keep making comments like that and you can just forget any chances of me making breakfast," the smaller man countered, even as he rooted around in the cooking supplies.

A glance over at the third bedroll showed that Billy was also awake, and pulling on his boots in preparation for getting up and started on the morning chores. With both adults injured, the youngster had shouldered a considerable portion of the daily 'grunt work;' feeding and grooming the horses, fetching water and firewood, and the hundred and two other small duties that were a necessary part of each day on the road. According to Serena, the doctor who had treated Billy for his injuries after Jim and Blair rescued him, the youngster had been the only child of a traveling apothecary, and his obvious familiarity with what needed to be done in a camp seemed further proof of this.

The now familiar morning routine passed quickly, and it was still an hour before noon when the three riders entered the outskirts of Cascade. The day was one of those perfect ones that convinced residents that they had indeed chosen their home well. Not particularly hot, just comfortably warm, with air so pure one could almost taste it.

Downtown Cascade was busting with late morning activity, locals and visitors both finding reasons for outdoor activities to enjoy the perfect weather. The returning men were beginning to think they would make it all the way through town without having to stop when a commanding voice halted them in their tracks.

"Ellison! Sandburg! It's about time the two of you made it back here!"

The speaker was a dark skinned man with an unlit cigar clenched firmly in his teeth and a bright sheriff's star pinned prominently on his broad chest.

"Simon, it's good to see you too," Jim smiled, reaching down to shake the big man's hand, while Sandburg greeted him with a quick grin and wave from his position just beyond the Sentinel. "I'm hoping this greeting is not a prelude to telling us there're problems at home?" The half question was accompanied by a worried look.

"No, it's not. Well, not as of yesterday, anyway. Everything, and everyone, seemed just fine. And before you ask, no I haven't been called out there to restore the peace or any other official reason since you two took off," the lawman reported.

"That's a relief, since I wasn't sure leaving Tommy and Jason alone with each other would work out any better this time," Jim replied, smiling a bit ruefully at the memory of the disaster that occurred the last time they'd been called out of town.

"I think they're starting to work out their differences," Simon noted, with an encouraging look, knowing it had been a battle getting those two youngsters to learn to get along. "And speaking of differences, looks like you're making another addition?"

Blair grinned and indicated Billy who was watching with customary silence from one of the spare horses. "This is Billy, Simon. Billy, this is Sheriff Simon Banks. If you have a problem and can't get to me or Jim, Simon will help you," the younger man explained, as the big sheriff approached the youngster.

"Good to meet you Billy," he greeted the child, holding out a large hand, which was promptly shaken by the boy. "Nothing to say?" he asked with a slight frown.

"Simon, Billy's mute," Ellison said softly, his expression clearly telling his old friend to back off the subject.

"Ah, in that case I'll overlook the lack of response, Son. Good to meet you, welcome to Cascade," the sheriff said with a warm look that brought a slight, shy smile to the youngster's face.

"Well, I'm sure you're anxious to get home, so I won't keep you. When you get a chance I'd like to hear how the job went, I can tell from the bandages I see you had your usual luck," the dark man grinned.

"Tell you what, Simon. Why don't you come on by for dinner, and you can hear the story along with everyone else? I'm sure Hannah won't mind," Jim invited his friend, knowing it was really just a formality. With or without an invitation, he knew Simon would show up on their doorstep that evening, it was more or less a tradition now.

"I'll take you up on that. The usual time? Can I bring anything?" Simon queried with a slightly smug smile.

"Nah, just yourself, and Darrel if he's around. The kids are always glad to see him."

"His mom's got him staying home all this week, his schoolwork wasn't up to her standards. So it's just me. See you later, then," the sheriff said as he stepped back from Jim's horse to let them proceed. He followed their progress until he lost them in the swelling street traffic, then headed back to the jail to check over the week's reports from his deputies.

It was only a quarter hour later that they turned off the main road and passed under the decorative iron and wood arch that proclaimed 'Prospect Ranch' and headed down the well-maintained drive to the sprawling house nestled in amongst some massive, well-aged trees. No sooner had they come within sight of the house when a chorus of young voices could be heard crying out "They're home! They're home!"

Seemingly from every direction small bodies rushed out to greet the weary travelers as they dismounted, and a tall, big boned woman with long black hair hurried around from the back of the house.

"'Bout time you two got your bad selves back home," Hannah scolded, her words lacking any kind of force thanks to the wide smile that split her face. "Now what sort of mischief have you two gotten yourselves into?"

"Hannah, we behaved ourselves, really, we did," Jim insisted, holding up his hands as if to hold back the woman's advance, his own grin wide and happy. "And are we glad to see all of you," he declared, pulling the surrounding children into a hug and turning to each one with a personal greeting. A few feet away Blair was similarly occupied, the children shifting back and forth like bees amongst the flowers, the chatter and laughter making a glorious racket in the warm afternoon air.

Billy watched this silently from beside his erstwhile mount, holding onto the horse's reins nervously. There were so many children here! And they all talked so loudly, demanding attention from the two men who had made such a tremendous difference in the little boy's life in the space of only a few days. He was feeling lost and out of place, wondering if he could just silently sneak away before anyone noticed him. But Hannah seemed to almost read his mind and turned her attention to the new arrival, walking toward the youngster until the child backed away nervously, stopping her approach.

"It's okay, Little One, I'm Hannah, I help take care of Jim and Blair's kids. What's your name?" she queried gently, her sharp eyes already finding evidence that led her to her own startlingly accurate conclusions.

"Uh, Hannah, kids, listen up for a moment, okay? This is Billy, he'll be living here with us now," Blair announced, indicating the wide-eyed boy and giving him an encouraging smile. "Billy's about the same age all of you are, so he should fit in just fine, right? He's not talking right now, but I think in time that'll work itself out, so we don't want anyone giving him a hard time, okay? Now, I've been telling him about how nice all you are, and how much fun you all have together, so I'd like to introduce you politely. When I call your name say 'hi' to Billy. Jason?"

The boy who stepped forward at Sandburg's words was not much taller than Billy, but so solidly built he seemed a comparative giant. He had tousled, thick dark hair, and eyes so brown they looked black, the contrast making him appear paler than he actually was. There was a calm air of command about the boy, and even in this casual situation it was somehow obvious that the others deferred to a degree to Jason. The confident youth stepped forward and favored the newcomer with a welcoming smile and a casual "Nice to meet you, Billy."

"Zack?"

At that a dark skinned boy with laughing eyes and close cropped kinky black hair stepped forward with a good natured "Welcome, Billy."

"This is Tanya," Blair continued, indicating a girl with long black hair, who stepped forward boldly to greet the newcomer with a smile.

"And Aisha."

Like Zack and Tanya, Aisha was dark skinned, her thick hair plaited loosely down her back. She was the only girl not wearing a dress, but instead was dressed in boy's pants and a dark yellow blouse, and she gave Billy a frankly appraising look, as if sizing up an opponent. "Hi Billy."

"And this is Katherine," Sandburg indicated a blonde girl, taller than the others, who smiled sweetly and curtsied, much to Billy's bemusement. Such formality was unusual in the rough towns he'd spent much of the last few years in.

"This is Adam."

The oriental boy gave a shy grin, and a softly murmured "Hello." Billy was immediately drawn to this quiet youngster, seeming to instinctively recognize a kindred spirit.

"Trini." This girl's long, rail straight ebony hair hung nearly to her waist in a glossy veil, her gentle, heart shaped face warming up with a welcoming look, which morphed into a smile of almost heartbreaking sweetness as she raised one elegant hand in wordless greeting.

"Here we have Kimberly," came next, indicating a petite mite of a girl, dressed in a pink dress that seemed to accentuate her delicate beauty. Long chestnut hair was pulled back loosely, and huge brown doe-eyes looked up at Billy above a warm smile.

"I hope you'll be happy here," she said softly, running one hand down the boy's arm as a greeting.

Looking toward the back of the group of children, Blair indicated a tall boy with shoulder length dark hair, his dark skin clearly showing his partial Indian heritage. "This is Tommy."

Tommy just raised a hand and gave a noncommittal grunt by way of greeting, obviously less than thrilled to see a new addition to their group.

"And that one back there is Rocky," Sandburg concluded, as the Hispanic youth he'd indicated came forward.

"Hi. My whole name is Rockwell DeSantos, and I'm staying here until they find my family," he explained hastily, his expression openly cheerful. The children, intent on checking out the new kid, didn't catch the pained expressions on the adults' faces at Rocky's artless announcement.

"Zack, why don't you take Billy into the boy's wing and help him get settled, okay?" Jim suggested, handing Billy a small bundle of new clothing they'd gotten for him that morning and giving the overwhelmed looking boy an encouraging look.

"Sure Papa Jim, come on Billy," the smiling black youth said, ushering his charge toward the nearer section of the sprawling house. They went up four steps to a door at the end of the wing, and found themselves in a single long room, with individual 'cubicles' down each side, and a wide, open area down the middle, featuring a large potbellied stove in the center amidst scattered chairs and tables. The cubicle walls were a foot short of the ceiling, creating six small areas, each featuring a single bed in the center, with a window situated above it.

There was only one unoccupied cubicle, and the two boys went into it, with Billy looking around curiously as he set his small bundle down on the bed.

"Here, let me show you something," Zack offered, indicating the stand the bed rested on. "You can stash your stuff here." Five large drawers were built into the stand, providing each child with a place to store their belongings neatly. There was also a shelf above the bed, just below the window, where things could be displayed, and a small bedside table as well, with one narrow drawer and an open area below for storage.

"Papa Jim and Uncle Blair designed these rooms. Pretty neat, huh? Big rule, though. You can't go into anyone else's room or get into their stuff without their permission. And they can't get into yours, either. And no fighting. They've been real strict about that, especially since Tommy joined us and kept fighting with Jason. They've been in a ton of trouble, let me tell you. But you don't fight much, do you? I hope not, cause it's kind of upsetting when they get everyone all mad. Don't worry, you'll like it here, even if we do have a lot of chores, and school. School's okay, but I'd rather be fishing, or riding my horse, or doing lots of other things. Miss Appleby's nice enough, but history is boring. And math? I just don't get math at all." Billy trailed behind his guide, trying to keep up with the other boy's sudden shifts in subject. "So this is the boy's room, that's what they all call it. The girls have the other big room, like this only more girly. And this is the main house. You can come into these rooms anytime you want, cause you live here now like us. But, Papa Jim and Uncle Blair have rooms upstairs, and those are off limits. So is Hannah's room, which is over there, behind that door. You can't go in there unless she says so," Zack rambled on happily, pointing out things as he spoke of them, turning constantly to make sure Billy was still with him and listening.

"And we all eat our meals in here, and there's the kitchen. If you're hungry just ask Hannah for something and she'll usually let you have it. She just wants to know what food is being eaten so we don't run out, at least that's what she told me when I asked her why we always have to ask for things. She's a real good cook, and on your birthday she'll cook anything you ask for. It's my birthday in a few weeks, and I want to have her fried chicken. She said I could, too. Oh, and this room is where they put you if you're sick, so you won't infect anyone and they can take care of you easier. I've never had to be in this room myself, but Kimberly almost DIED here last winter. But Uncle Blair knows a lot of medicine stuff, and made her well again," he hastened to assure his slightly dazed audience of one. "We should head back out to the others, 'cause it's time for them to give us presents." He leaned toward the smaller boy and lowered his voice confidentially. "They 'most always bring us something after they go on one of their jobs, though they keep telling us we're too old for that. Come on," he encouraged Billy, grabbing his hand and hurrying him back outside, even while quickly pointing out the vegetable garden and chicken coop and woodshed, the last evoking a warning that he didn't want to ever be sent there by one of the adults, since that was where the 'lickins' took place.

They rejoined the other children in the barn just as Blair and Jim finished unloading the packhorse, having carefully piled the assorted bundles near the door under the watchful eye of the children. Settling the horses into their stalls, the two men took their time, enjoying the palpable air of anticipation from the youngsters. The suppressed excitement only increased with the arrival of Zack and Billy to rejoin the group, and finally with a grin he couldn't suppress Jim turned to their young charges.

"So, you guys want to help us unpack?" he asked, the question by now a ritual.

"Yay!" chimed out assorted voices as most of the youngsters fell to untying the largest bundle. Soon it was opened to reveal a number of individually wrapped packages inside, each sporting a child's name. It was the work of only a few moments to disburse them to their rightful owners, while the two men watched with satisfied smiles.

"Here you go, Billy," Zack grinned, handing over a small package with the boy's name neatly printed on it, so anxious to get to his own present he didn't notice the look of almost comical surprise on the other youth's face.

Soon the sound of tearing paper was interspersed with gasps and other sounds of pleasure as the children tore through the wrapping and found the treasures contained in each. The two men always made an effort to find gifts that were special to each individual child, not falling into the easy trap of buying in bulk. Consequently Adam got a puzzle that suited his analytical nature as Tanya received a harmonica, which suited her musical interests. Trini was pleased with an small book exploring the teachings of several philosophers, just as Jason was thrilled with baseball, which he'd heard was a new craze back East. None of the gifts were especially expensive or elaborate, but each was another small treasure to a group of children who had each known much loss in their short lives.

"What'd you get, Billy?" Zack queried, apparently still feeling responsible for the other boy.

Wordlessly the blond held out a leather pouch containing a dozen glass marbles, in a variety of colors.

"Hey, that's great! You know how to play marbles?" At Billy's negative shake of his head the exuberant youngster continued. "No problem, we can teach you. It's a lot of fun, and having marbles is better than having money if you play it right," he confided, dropping his voice low so the adults couldn't hear; or so he thought at least.

"Zackary," Jim's voice cut across the hubbub to get Zack's attention. "You wouldn't be giving Billy any bad ideas, now would you?" he asked sternly.

"No, Sir." The youngster's wide brown eyes looked over at the big man with thinly veiled awe and surprise. How in the world could Jim have heard him?

"Good. Now, why don't you guys give us a hand getting all this into the house?" Ellison suggested, already hefting some of the larger bundles. Besides the gifts, there was an assortment of material for new clothes, as well as household goods and supplies, medical supplies for both humans and stock, and assorted other odds and ends.

With twenty-two small but willing hands helping out, the packages were quickly put away and the two returning travellers had a chance to catch up with activities and events that had occurred since they had left over a week before.

"And Macy had her baby, a perfect little filly," Aisha reported in her turn, grinning up at Jim and Blair, her ebony eyes dancing with joy. "Wait until you see her!" she concluded.

"And I suppose you've been driving Reverend Taggart mad visiting five times a day?" Ellison asked, only half kidding.

"He said I could come see her whenever I wanted to," the little girl protested, looking up with an aggrieved expression.

"I was just kidding," the big man grinned, putting a comforting arm around her. "I know how much you love the animals."

"Besides, we helped Reverend Taggart last week, when his chickens all got loose," Tanya chipped in with a laugh. "It took us a long time to catch them all, they ran all around the place, and Zack even fell in the pigpen chasing one."

"He stunk and Emma made him undress in the barn and wash up before he could even come in the house," Kimberly added, her brown eyes dancing with laughter.

Blair chuckled in amusement as the youngsters all but tripped over each other trying to tell of their adventures. Jim allowed this to go on for a time, then clapped his hands to get the kids' attention.

"We invited Sheriff Banks to join us for dinner, so you need to get your chores finished early today. Tommy, you're in charge of showing Billy the ropes, he'll work with you until he's used to how we do things. You TEACH him, don't just have him do your work for you. Billy, you have any questions just ask. When you're finished, get yourselves washed up and presentable," he finished, smiling when the youngsters all but ran to obey him. The first couple of days back after a few days absence always saw the children on their absolute best behavior.

"I never like leaving them, but coming home again is a totally different matter," Blair murmured to his friend as they strolled together back toward the house.

"I know what you mean," Jim agreed, pausing to look back toward the barn and garden areas where small figures scurried about busily.

"Hard to remember now how it was in the beginning, isn't it?" Blair queried, his own gaze captured by the bustle of activity.

"Yeah. Guess it really was meant to be this way after all," Ellison said softly, his thoughts wandering back almost five years to the fateful trip that started it all.

To be continued...